Always in my Heart
by VAdarkwind
Summary: (All-human) Lyla is an ambitious girl, and her future is headed towards success. That is, until she gets injured. Zac, her old best friend, is assigned as her bodyguard, or guardian. Lyla is desperate to find out who injured her, but, what if the unthinkable was the one who had done it? Three-shot.
1. Memories

**Chapter 1-Memories**

* * *

 **"You can close your eyes to the things you don't want to see. But you can't close your heart to the things you don't want to feel." ~Johnny Depp**

* * *

When I opened my eyes, all I felt was pain. Horrible, sickening pain. I closed my eyes, trying to ignore it. It was a horrid sensation. I felt like I had been run over by a car. No, that would've been generous, an understatement, compared to how I felt. I forced my eyes open again and saw blurry shapes move around me. I gasped as I saw the silhouettes travel around me in a dizzying circle. Or maybe it wasn't a circle. I was too much in pain to tell. But I could smell smoke. It was suffocating. So I called the name I hadn't called in ages. "Zac."

Zac, he had been my best friend from so long ago. I hadn't seen him in years yet I was calling his name. He was still my hope, after all of these years. "Zac," I called again, my voice plaintive and pleading. I forced my eyes opened, and the blurry shapes stilled into visible, decipherable faces. I frowned as I saw unfamiliar people.

"Who's she calling out for?"

"Someone named Zac?"

"Just get her to the hospital. She's injured." This voice was brisk and strong. The voice of a leader. It reminded me exceedingly of Zac's, but it wasn't. This was a woman's voice. She sounded young, youthful. Her voice sent calming sensations all over my injured body. Her voice sounded again. "Get her to safety I say!"

And I'm pretty sure I blacked out after that because I didn't remember a thing.

* * *

I opened my eyes and gasped. Dizzying pain slammed into my body the second I regained an ounce of consciousness. It didn't seem very fair, that after all that I had suffered, I had to suffer more. I forced my eyes open again and gritted my teeth through the pain. I could see the sun setting in the sky, casting gold and red to thread the sky. It was very beautiful, but I wasn't paying attention to the beauty. Right now, all I could concentrate on the pain that was screaming at me.

I turned as I heard the door swing open and footsteps approaching me. Someone had entered the room. It was a woman. She was very pretty, with long dark hair complemented with gray eyes. She was watching me in an emotion only called pity. I hated being pitied. I didn't like feeling weak, didn't like being a victim, even if I technically _was_ one.

"Who are you?" Those were the first words that popped out of my mouth. Yeah, real smooth. I made a face at my impoliteness, but there was no need for niceties right now. All my life I had been trained to be alert, conscious, of everything around me. She didn't seem to mind. She had a kind face, but it sparked with some sort of amusement at my demand.

"My name is Rita Santos," she spoke after a few long moments. "And who might you be?"

"Who wants to know?" I responded coyly.

"Careful, sarcastic," Rita mused. "You remind me of my apprentice."

"Apprentice?" I frowned now. "Where am I?"

"I'll tell you that when you tell me your name," she responded. And she accused _me_ of being sarcastic and careful.

"My name is Lyla," I answered briskly. I tried to move, but the pain proved to much. I grimaced but still sat up. I ignored my sore muscles and damaged body. "What is this place? How did I get here? I..." I recalled the distinct aroma of smoke... and the pain. So much pain. I grimaced again, glancing for the first time at the bandages wrapped securely around my arms and legs. Was I really _that_ injured? No, I didn't think so. Then, I remembered the aching pain... pretty much _everywhere._ I swallowed hard. "How badly was I injured?" I inquired quietly.

"I think..." Rita grimaced. "I'll get to _that_ later. Now, you asked me where you were. This is MIR," she responded. "Mir means peace in Russian, thus resulting to the name." Rita paused for a long moment. "We took you here after we saw your injuries. They are quite severe. I think you should stay here for a while. It would prove to be most sufficient."

"I don't understand," I said, frowning. "I don't remember much... just, just the smell of smoke... That means there was a fire, right?" My frown deepened. "And I felt pain. The worse pain I had ever felt. It was sickening... excruciating." I shuddered before turning to her. "So, when will I get better?"

She bit her lip. "I'll send in my apprentice," she said flatly, leaving the room.

I frowned. She left me with a _lot_ of questions. The world spun, and I shook my head, to clear my vision. It was a mistake. If anything, it made things worse. I ignored the sickening pain, trying to obscure how I felt. Then, I got up. My body screamed abominable insults at me for getting up, something I blatantly ignored. I felt so broken inside. I sat on the bed, legs dangling from the side.

"You must be Lyla."

I whirled around and leapt up immediately, muscles tense. This was the maneuver I was used to: attack first and find out who you attack later. At least, until I remembered myself. My aching body... the fact that I was in a place of peace. "Are you Rita's apprentice?" I inquired, examining the girl. She had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Her expression was cold and calculating. I admired her fierceness. I could see it in her unfaltering stance.

"My name is Nixie, and yes, to answer your question, I _am_ Rita's apprentice. Well, _one_ of her apprentices." Nixie rolled her eyes. " _Sirena_ is her _other_ apprentice." Disgust and scorn dripped off the word _Sirena._ She noticed my expression and crossed her arms. "Rita's too nice to deliver the bluntest of news."

"I'm guessing you don't like Sirena very well," I observed.

"That's understating it a bit," she growled.

I nodded, hiding a smile. I winced as Nixie headed towards me. Her fingers trailed across the bandages on my arm. I grimaced, ignoring the pain running through me. She seemed to approve me obscuring my distress. I glanced at her wearily. "What do you do around here?"

She frowned and glanced at me. Our gazes locked briefly. "How much did Rita tell you?" she asked me quietly.

"The basics," I answered. "She told me that I'm at MIR, and I'm severely injured. She didn't tell me to what degree, though." I paused, wondering what the severity of the situation was. I glanced away. "Am I going to get any better?"

"Yeah..." Nixie's gaze faltered, and I knew it was something bad. "And then some."

"What does _that_ mean?" I demanded.

"Look, Rita doesn't want me to make you worry," Nixie said almost hesitantly. "You'll get better... eventually, but..." She looked uneasy and averted her eyes away from mine. I watched her with a dangerous expression. "Look, you need to rest now," Nixie said, ignoring my question in a not-so-subtle way.

"I—"

"Don't protest," Nixie warned. "I'm not telling you anything. I'll send in Sirena later. You need to rest now."

I shook my head, starting to feel a little fear. "I need to know what's going on."

"I'll tell you... eventually. Come on, don't look at me like that," Nixie said, sighing. "I don't _want_ to keep you in the dark, but really... I really don't know what's going on with you. I know the severity of the situation, but that's pretty much it."

"Tell me something, anything," I said.

"I'm sorry," she said. Then, she left.

I took a deep breath and sighed. I honestly didn't feel like resting, despite the pain slamming into me. MIR... I had never heard of the place. Maybe... maybe Sirena would give me some answers. When she came, that is. But... exactly _how_ injured _was_ I? I swallowed back my unease. Faint memories, already distant, of Zac floating through my head. His tanned complexion, handsome face, dark hair, and equally dark eyes. Then, I wondered why I was thinking of him. Then, it hit me.

I had called his name before I had blacked out.

Again, the question surfaced into my head: why? I felt a pang of sadness. I knew why. I remembered... the day he had to leave...

* * *

 _"Why do you have to leave?" I asked him desperately.  
_

 _His beautiful eyes watched me mournfully. "I'm so sorry, Lyla. If I could, I would've stayed. You know that."_

 _I felt his strong arms encircle me, and I was sure that my breathing had stopped along with my heart. Okay, maybe my heart_ didn't _stop. Maybe it was just pounding harder than I thought possible. I watched him watch me with that adoration. I swallowed back tears as I watched him, utterly destroyed. "I know," I choked out._

 _Time froze as he touched my face. Our lips met in a powerful kiss. My_ first _kiss. And it was with Zac. When we pulled back, he looked slightly sheepish. I smiled a little, looking down bashfully. He tilted my face upwards, to meet his gaze. I gasped, both from the aftermath of the kiss_ and _the fact that his eyes were filled with emotions. "I love you, Lyla," he murmured. "And I don't want anything to stop us from spending eternity together... but after all this craziness is over... I'll come back for you."_

 _"I love you, too," I breathed. I really did. Love wasn't roses, chocolates, or compliments. Love was the perfect understanding with one another. Love was that feeling you got, when you were left breathless and wanting more. It was an indescribable feeling, and you just_ know _when you're in love. When you're_ really _in love. "And... and I'll wait for you. As long as it takes."_

 _"I promise to come back to you." He looked me right in the eye. "If you're ever in trouble, just call my name. I'll be by your side. I'll be by your side in a heartbeat."_

* * *

But he hadn't come. Not when I needed him most.

I surfaced out of the lingering remains of the memory, feeling cold and sad all over. _If you're ever in trouble, just call my name. I'll be by your side in a heartbeat._ I didn't doubt his words. I remembered the way he had said it, and I remembered the look in his eyes when he had said it all too well. It was fair to say that I was in love. I had never felt more alone than I did now. Zac hadn't come... The words sunk in. Hard.

I missed him everyday, but... this time, it was much worse.

"Hey, stranger."

I looked up to see the face of a girl. She wasn't much older than me. She was probably the same age as me. Sixteen. She had pale, platinum-blonde hair and twinkly blue eyes that seemed to light up. I nodded at her. "You must be Rita's other apprentice. Sirena, was it?"

"That's me!" Wow, her optimism was contagious. I couldn't help but smile. She turned to me, gaze tender and pitiful, much to my annoyance. But, somehow, I felt less annoyed, probably thanks to her lighthearted attitude. "How are you feeling?" she asked, with a considerable amount of genuine concern injected into her sweet, soothing voice. Her voice sounded almost musical, and I wondered if she sang.

"I..." I stopped, feeling a horrible ache in my chest that could only be described as loneliness. I shook my head. "Not really good," I admitted. Silently, I added, _Physically, emotionally, and mentally._ I shifted tentatively. "I... I hurt less, I guess." That was true. A little. I _did_ hurt less. But it was only a little. My body was still screaming at me, but it was easier to ignore now.

Sirena nodded. "I think you're lying."

"I didn't think you would believe me," I answered.

"After you heal more, we're going to put you into some training," Sirena said. "It'll be to help build your strength back, but... this is a major setback. You... you'll..." Sirena bit her lip as I gazed at her expectantly. I scowled when she didn't elaborate. "I'm sorry, Lyla," she apologized. "It's better that you don't know this yet."

"Why is everyone so tempted to keep me in the dark?" I exclaimed bitterly, groaning. I buried my face in my hands and immediately grimaced at the pain. "I _need_ to know the truth. It's how I live. It's better to know the truth, no matter how blunt or terrible it is." I stared plaintively at her. "Please."

"I'm sorry," she repeated. "I can't."

I nodded dejectedly.

Then, Sirena watched me curiously. "You were calling a name when we saw you. Before we brought you here. It was Zac, wasn't it?" She shot me a curious look accompanied with a genuine smile. "Who's Zac?" Her question was innocent, one born out of curiosity, but it sent shivers coursing down my spine. She seemed to notice that something was wrong. "Are you okay?"

I took a deep breath. "Zac was my best friend. He... he told me that whenever I was in trouble, I should call his name." I shook my head and winced. The small movement sent pain crackling through my body. "He said that he would be there in a heartbeat. I don't think he was lying... I remember the look in his eyes... but... I just feel foolish, you know? To have hope that he'd _actually_ come."

"He's special to you." Her comment wasn't an inquiry. It was a statement.

"He is," I agreed. I turned to her wearily. "Do you have someone special in your life? Like, you know, romantically?" She blushed, and I could see the answer in her eyes. I sat in a crisscross position. I smiled at her, ignoring my body's many screams of protest. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"His name is David," Sirena said with a small smile. "He works here at MIR, and he's the sweetest. Sometimes, when it's dark, and everyone's asleep, he meets me in the gardens with his guitar. And I sing... The moonlight just makes the place more ethereal, you know?"

"So you _can_ sing," I said, smiling. "I suspected as much. Your voice is musical."

"Thank you," Sirena said, grinning. She flushed at my praise. She handed be a glass of water. "Drink this."

I quirked an eyebrow and inhaled the distinct aroma of water... but there was something else in it. "It smells like... vanilla." I frowned and sniffed it again. "With a hint of jasmine and rosemary." I smiled coyly. "Is it for some sort of soothing sleep or something?" I inquired. "A soothing brew of sweet aromas laced with a sleeping concoction?" She froze at my words, and I laughed. "You know, I've been at this game for a _long_ time. I know when someone laces my drink with poison or sleeping powder."

"When you wake up, you should go to the gardens," Sirena murmuring. "It's rather relaxing."

"Tranquil?"

"Definitely," Sirena said, beaming.

I paused before lifting the drink to my lips. "Thanks, Sirena." She nodded, and I glanced once at the clear liquid. I breathed in its sweet scent before tilting the drink. The contents spilled into my lips, and I felt sleepy at once. I set the glass down and sank into the bed. I closed my eyes, feeling my thoughts get hazy. Yeah, the potion got to work really fast.

"Sleep well," Sirena whispered.

And those were my last conscious thoughts before I sank into a deep sleep.

* * *

 _Dark shapes flitted around my vision, and I frowned. I ran into a dark building, and I found myself racing through the stairs. I gasped as I saw someone in the room I had just entered. I saw a tall, looming figure, but as I got closer, I saw that he wasn't as tall as I had first suspected. His face was covered by shadows, but I could make out eyes. Dark eyes. Save for that, the rest of the features were concealed. Those eyes were familiar. I knew them from somewhere. If only I could remember._

 _I frowned as I saw the match in the guy's hand. "Get out of here!" I yelled._

 _He smiled bitterly and struck the match. A flame burned on the match, and he dropped it. The flames licked the floor quickly. He ran out of the room as I gazed in horror at the flames. They were quickly consuming everything. My eyes were wide. I couldn't do anything for this room. I ran out of the door, following the guy in pursuit. Then, he stopped and turned. I saw a deep fire in his eyes, and I gasped. Then, I realized that his dark gaze was reflecting the flames—which were right behind me.  
_

 _He frowned and slammed me into the wall. I recognized those eyes from somewhere. Again, something burned in my memory... but I didn't know where I had seen those eyes before. His gaze widened as the fire began to spread, faster and faster. I don't think he thought that it would spread that fast. It was consuming and intoxicating. My lungs ached from the smoke._

 _I needed to escape from the room—I needed to save myself from the fire.  
_

 _The smoke billowed as the guy opened a window. I coughed, fighting for breath. I could barely see a thing through the toxic clouds of smoke..._

* * *

My heart was pounding as I opened my eyes. I turned towards the window. It was night, and I could see moonlight pouring out of the window. My heart was hammering, and I slowly got up. My wounds stopped aching. I realized that the drink must've held something to help cope with the pain. I took a deep breath as I gazed at my the white bandages on my arms and legs. _Just a dream,_ I thought. Then, I realized something.

The dream I had was the key to how I got my injuries.

Of course, the dream hadn't finished... because when I had opened my eyes... I was outside. I was inside in the vision. And I hadn't felt any pain. I frowned, trying to summon more memories of the vision. But... it was gone. Frustrated, I sat up. If only the dream had finished. Oh well. There was nothing I could do. I got up. I looked myself in the mirror.

My long, golden-blonde hair had the slightest of natural curliness to it, and my ocean-colored eyes stared pitifully back at me. I surprised to see that my face wasn't damaged that much. There were only a few minor scratches that were already healing. I glanced ruefully at the bandages on my arms and legs. I winced. I would probably end up with a lot of scars from all of the burns. But if you ignored the bandages on my arms and legs, I could've looked like I had just came back from an extra intense game of soccer.

Sighing, I wobbled a little as I strode over to the door. I stepped through and peered at the corridor I was in. No one was in it, but I could spot a few cameras. They weren't badly concealed. I just had a lot of experience with scanning a room for all sorts of things. I frowned. What had Sirena said? _When you wake up, you should go to the gardens. It's rather relaxing._ Taking a deep breath, I scanned the map on the wall.

"Garden, garden, garden," I muttered. Then, I saw it. It was in the corridor that I was in. I strode down the hall and opened the doors to the garden. It was very beautiful, filled with lush plants and flowers and life. There were roses, lavenders, jasmine, Azalea flowers, and well, pretty much everything. I smelled something that smelled exceedingly like mint, but I couldn't exactly identify where. It was all so beautiful and green.

No wonder Sirena loved it.

I took a seat and looked up to see a brilliant moon. It must've been a few days until full moon, judging by the size of the moon. Its silver light bathed my face, and I remembered that once, when Zac and I had snuck out in the middle of the night, it was a full moon. I could recall his words: _T_ _he light of the moon makes your eyes look almost silver. Very beautiful._ I had blushed at the comment and changed the subject. But now... it just made me feel sad. I couldn't _help_ what I felt.

"I thought I'd find you here."

I spun around, eyes wide. Then, I relaxed as the figure stepped out. The features materialized before me as the moonlight illuminated their features. I grinned. Long, platinum-blonde hair, azure eyes, soft, angel-like smile. Who else could it be? "Hey, Sirena."

"Hey," she said, taking a seat by me.

"I'm guessing you found out that I left my room because of the cameras?"

"Actually, I was just checking to see if you were awake," she said, grinning. "But I'm not surprised that you noticed the cameras. You have the eyesight of a hawk. Or an eagle." Sirena shrugged, brushing some strands of her pale hair out of her eyes. She seemed happy enough, not that I was surprised. The girl _always_ seemed to be optimistic or ecstatic. "So, is it as serene as I said it was?"

"Just as tranquil," I mused. "Maybe even more so."

"So... tell me about yourself," she said. "I really don't know much about you."

"Well... I'm a hard worker, and I don't like being weak." I paused, pondering about it. "I guess you could say that I have this sort of carefulness to me. Maybe it's recklessness, though. Whatever... I'm stubborn, very stubborn." I grinned. "I'm cautious, and I don't trust a lot of people."

"Tell me about Zac." Sirena's interest looked piqued.

"Well, Zac was the most amazing guy I've ever met," I said, folding my hands to still the shaking that I just noticed. "He has dark hair and equally dark eyes complemented with a tanned complexion. He could make a joke out of anything and everything, but he had so many shades, so many facets, to him. He could be the goofball. He could be the serious one. He could be the passionate one. He teased me a lot, and there were times when he was almost shy. When he was so sweet and gentle. He said that..." I swallowed hard, remembering the vague memory. "He said that only I could bring that out of him."

"Wow..." Sirena murmured. I sensed that she wanted to tell me something.

"What's on your mind?"

"How do you know I have something on my mind?"

I laughed. "I'm a psychic. I'm kidding. I just have an uncanny ability to read people."

"Would you want to see Zac again?" Sirena asked me.

"Of course," I responded automatically. I envisioned his sweet, handsome face and those smoky, dark eyes. "Though just a moment would be painful if I couldn't have anymore. I would always crave time with him... He was my best friend... We couldn't exactly develop into something more because he had to leave. It was hard."

"It _sounds_ hard," Sirena said. She shook her head. "You have a hard life."

"Nothing I can't handle."

"Nothing you can't handle," Sirena murmured. She laughed a little. "Nothing you can't handle," she echoed. She smiled at me, and I returned the gesture. She touched my arm softly. "How're you feeling? Are you in any pain?"

I shook my head. "Thanks for giving me painkillers through the drink, anyway."

"Of course," Sirena said, smiling ruefully.

Again, I sensed that there was something she wanted to tell me. She had changed the subject so subtly, but I could still sense it. There was something on my mind, but... she wasn't telling me. I didn't want to push her... I took a deep breath and pursued another subject. "How're you and David?"

"He's really amazing," Sirena murmured, sighing contentedly. She turned to me and smiled. "You should come to the common rooms sometime. Sometimes, David and I perform there. For the patients, you know?" I nodded, and Sirena smiled again. "David is very nice."

"Like you?"

Sirena smiled at the compliment. "Yeah. He's very helpful."

I nodded at Sirena. "Well, I won't take up more of your time." I stood up. Then, I paused and gazed at her curiously. "Nixie said that you two didn't get along very well." I paused. "Is it anything personal, or..?" I stopped, feeling sheepish. "I mean—"

"No, it's alright to be curious," Sirena said. Her ocean-colored eyes locked onto mine. "We _don't_ get along. She was Rita's first apprentice, but Rita took an instant like to me. She asked me to be her other apprentice whereas Nixie... she begged and begged for the job. She's bitter and hostile towards me, but I don't mind. There are enough nice people in the world, and it's the rough, bitter people that shape us into stronger people."

"That's true..." I mumbled.

I turned and smiled at Sirena. "I'll see you around, alright?"

"Alright," she murmured, smiling as moonlight bathed her face.

I headed back inside, feeling a smile spreading across my lips. I crossed the corridor and headed inside my room. I closed the door behind me and sank into my bed. I looked up at the blank, white ceiling. I could smell a vanilla fragrance in the room. And I went to sleep...

All the thoughts about Sirena not telling me something slipped from my mind...

* * *

I opened my azure eyes and immediately closed them as a flash of bright sunlight hit my peripheral vision. I shifted slightly, so I was no longer directly facing the window, and opened my eyes, which immediately adjusted to the brightness of the room, so very different from the dim of yesterday. I felt weirdly energetic, but I felt sore. I guess the painkillers were fading.

I took a deep breath and stretched. My body screamed insults at me for doing that, and I winced. The pain was returning. I gritted my teeth. Oh well. At least I had a few hours of peace. I turned towards the door as it opened. Rita entered. I smiled at the older woman. "How are you feeling?" she asked me, striding towards me. I sat up in the bed now, wincing as I did so.

"Better," I said. She quirked an eyebrow, and I sighed. "I _do_ feel better," I insisted. "I just... don't feel good. I feel fragile. And it still hurts. A lot. Just not as worse as it did yesterday," I explained. I looked upwards to meet her gaze. I could see sympathy in her gaze, and I sighed.

"Apparently you were feeling well enough to go for a leisurely midnight walk," Rita said with a small smile.

I shrugged. "Sirena gave me painkillers."

"She's a good girl, Sirena," Rita said, smiling a little. "She has a magnificent voice. You should hear it sometimes."

"So I've heard," I muttered.

"Lyla, I know you aren't going to like this, but..." Rita paused, hesitant, as I shifted to look at her properly. She looked decidedly worried, and I wondered if I should be worried. "But you're going to have a guardian. Like, a bodyguard if you will."

"A what?" The words didn't process through my brain.

"A guardian—"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you," I said, scoffing. I crossed my arms defiantly across my chest, insulted at the thought of having a guardian. "But I don't need a guardian. I'm perfectly fine." If fine was feeling like you were in so much pain you wanted to die, yeah.

"Yes, you do," Rita said sternly but not without kindness. "I'm afraid you sustained a little more than just 'a little' injury."

"W-what do you mean?"

"I mean what I say, Lyla."

I was about to come up with a snappy retort, but something about her words and her tone stopped me. I met her eyes, starting to feel a little fear. I shifted uneasily and glanced consciously at my bandaged arms. "Am I going to get better or not?" I demanded.

It was at that point when my "guardian" decided to enter the room, saving Rita from having to answer. My eyes widened as I took in the all-too familiar features. Tanned face, dark hair, dark eyes that were so deep that I could've sank into them all day. Or, forever. Those eyes were bottomless, and I remembered sinking into them for so long. The eyes that haunted my dreams and my nightmares.

My heart stopped.

Zac.

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed that first chapter of _Always in my Heart_! This is all-human, so there aren't any merfolk or anything. They are all regular people. Anyways, you just found out that Zac, Lyla's long ago best friend, is her new "guardian." You probably hate me for the cliffhanger if you got stuck up in the story, but yeah... You'll have to find out in the next chapter how Lyla will react! Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism _and_ praise) though not necessary. ;)


	2. The Impossible

**Chapter 2-The Impossible  
**

* * *

 **"Having a rough day? _Place your hand over your heart._ Feel that? _That's called a purpose._ You're alive for a reason. _Don't give up."_ ~Unknown  
**

* * *

I couldn't believe my eyes. My long ago best friend was in the same room as me. That was... wow... I didn't even _know_ how to begin to process that. His gaze locked onto mine, and I was surprised to see a mix of emotions flaring in his: anguish, pain, regret. Nothing about him seemed to be the same, save for his godly good looks—honestly, _no_ guy should be able to be that handsome! But his expression was cold and distant now as I continued to scrutinized him, and I wondered if I had imagined the anguish. I swallowed hard. He had changed. A lot. He showed no sign of my best friend. So where _was_ he?

Where was my best friend?

This... this _stranger_ couldn't possibly be Zac. He was distant, cold, and seemed hostile. Zac... Zac was wonderfully sweet. He could make me laugh and smile, and he could be such a romantic. So... what had happened? _Life,_ I answered myself. But surely just _life_ couldn't change Zac _that_ much. _My_ Zac. Okay, so maybe now he wasn't mine anymore. Maybe...

Rita seemed to notice the tension in the air. "I'll leave you two alone," Rita said hastily, stepping out of the room. I had shot her a look of betrayal, one that I was sure that she had seen, but if she did, she gave no sign of it. _Traitor,_ I thought. But it was just as well. I needed to talk to Zac. No matter how much had changed, I needed to see _something_ that seemed familiar. Perhaps the slightest twinkle in his dark gaze...

"Zac," I choked out, turning to him once more.

"Lyla."

"I'm surprised you even remembered my name," I muttered. "If you weren't dragged you, you probably wouldn't even know that I was injured, right?" That was mean of me, but I was hurt. I hated seeing the best friend that I had known for years change right before my eyes. He refused to meet my eyes. I wasn't surprised.

"Actually, I knew," Zac said stiffly.

"Yeah, sure," I scoffed.

His gaze blazed, but he remained stoic. He walked over to me and sat by me. He touched my arm, and I flinched at his touch. His hand fell back to his side, and his gaze darkened. "How are you?" The question was one born out of blatant curiosity. Not the genuine concern that I wanted. Yeah, I would've hurt less if someone had run me over with a bus.

"I feel like I've been run over by a car," I said bluntly. I didn't feel like veiling the truth from him. I didn't need to sweeten it for him. The days where I shared anything and everything were gone with him. He obviously thought that even if he didn't say it so much in words.

"Get up," he said harshly. I got up and glared at him, a glare he blatantly ignored. "You're going to go through some training, to get your strength back. You'll deal with the rest later." 'The rest' obviously meant my injuries, something I _still_ didn't know about. Didn't I deserve to know the truth?

"Fine," I said flatly. I think I surprised him. I think he expected me to protest, that I was going to tell him that I was strong enough. The surprise was evident in his gaze, and for one breathtaking heartbeat, our gazes locked. Then, he went back to his stoic, expressionless guardian mask. "Where do I train?" I inquired.

"You're training with me," he said. "Come."

I followed him to a certain training room. From my point of view, it just looked like a simple room. There were mats on the ground and padding on the walls, so I suspected that this was a place to train how to fight. Zac turned to me and observed me for a few heartbeats. Then, he said, "Start running."

"For how long?"

"Until I tell you to stop."

I shrugged. Running was easy. Except... that I still hurt. A _lot._ But I, having a stupidly determined to prove myself personality, ran anyway. I was determined not to show weakness, and I was sure that I would pass out after the first ten laps. But I kept going on strong. Then, I heard Zac say, "Stop." I ignored his voice and kept running, ignoring how parched my throat was and how every nerve of my body was screaming insults at me. I hurt. I felt like I just had to endure the whole process of getting injured again.

"Stop!" This time, it was a demand.

Still, I ignored my burning muscles and kept going. It was at that point when Zac decided that he had enough. When I ran past him this time, he grabbed and arm and pressed me against the wall. The movement was gentle, but I felt like I had been slammed deliberately into a wall—that had spikes in it. I gasped as pain flooded me. Adrenaline had kept some of the pain away, and now that the adrenaline was fading away from my system, the pain hit me squarely in the face, leaving me gasping.

"You're going to hurt yourself," he said, gaze dark.

I was shaking. He and the wall were the only things keeping me up. "I already hurt myself when I decided to get blown up in the big accident that no one will tell me about," I snapped. His gaze widened. "And since I can't remember, that just makes things that much easier!" My voice dripped with sarcasm and disgust. I barely noticed how close he was to me now. I had wanted him to show some emotion, and I got it.

His gaze burned with outrage and anguish and a million other emotions. "But I don't expect you to care," I continued. "In fact, I _don't_ think you care. You're just here because they told you that you had to be my guardian. Well, I wish that they gave me a different one because you obviously—"

"Don't tell me how I feel," he growled, voice low and menacing. He looked scary, being that angry, but... I saw him as vulnerable. Very, very vulnerable. I could see it in his eyes, and I knew because I knew him that well. His tight on my slackened a little. His gaze flooded with sorrow. "I..." He sagged. "I'm sorry."

Now that, that was the _last_ thing I expected him to say.

I turned to him pleadingly. "Zac, where's the best friend I knew for years? The one that could read me as well as I could read him? Where is he? Because I can see someone that looks exactly like him, but he doesn't act like my best friend. The one I knew and loved and cared about. Tell me, Zac. What happened to him?"

"He..." Zac started. Then, the blaze of emotions on his face was gone. Zac shook his head and stepped back, breaking the intimate space between us. He went over to his bag and produced a bottle of water. He walked back to me and pressed it into my fingers. "You look exhausted." Then, after a long moment, he added, "And in pain."

"Haha, that's funny because that's _exactly_ how I feel," I said. I walked past him. "And you know, most of the pain, it isn't physical."

I drank a drought of the water before realizing that I was burning for it. Sadly, I shot a look back at Zac. He was watching me with a guarded expression. I felt despair rain on me and turned away from his burning gaze. I felt sad, sad that he wasn't my best friend anymore. He was just my... my guardian. My body was still screaming at me, and I sighed. My physical pain seemed nothing— _nothing_ —compared to the mental anguish I was feeling.

 _What had caused us to grow so distant?_

* * *

After that extremely horrible practice, Zac took me back to my room. He leaned against the wall, and I sat in a chair. He removed my bandages, and I saw how horrible my injuries were. I was bruised and battered. The wounds on my arms hadn't healed much. They looked as if they were fresh, new injuries. I looked away, and I flinched when Zac spread some kind of ointment on my wounds

"Your injuries," he started. He glanced at them. "They are severe."

"I knew they were bad, but I didn't think they were _that_ bad," I muttered. I reeled away as he began to bandage my arms and legs again. He looked at me, and I was astonished to see genuine concern in his gaze. I let him finish bandaging me, but the whole time, a voice was screaming inside my head. I gritted my teeth through the pain. I would hurt more tomorrow.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked me, gaze thick with unspoken thoughts.

"Yes," I said bluntly. I had considered lying and saying no, but I didn't want to waste time arguing with him. Plus, I honestly didn't have the energy. I felt like someone had torn me up, and someone else had done a shoddy job fixing me up. But I was still shaken up. My wounds had barely healed. _Barely._ I was worried now. "I..." I glanced at the now obscured wounds. "My wounds haven't been healing."

A certain emotion twisted on his face. "You'll heal."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You'll heal," he repeated. His gaze was determined, and I couldn't help but frown. It did not escape his eagle-eyed gaze. I grimaced, dreading his next question. "What's wrong?" he asked me, and I could see the genuine concern in his gaze. That would've thrilled me... but I was in too much in pain to enjoy it.

I paused before composing my answer. "I just... I feel like... I feel like we've grown apart, and I... You're a stranger to me now." I frowned as I saw the legitimate hurt in his gaze. "It's true... I feel like... like I don't know you anymore."

"I..." Zac seemed to choke on his words. "That's not true," he finally choked out.

I found myself squeezing his hand. He froze as I did so, like he'd forgotten that this was the small gesture that I did to comfort him. His gaze met mine for a split second, but I saw another mix of emotions: longing, regret, frustration. He slipped his hand out of mine, clearly troubled. I turned away, frustrated. I stood up despite my aching muscles. I shoved Zac hard in the chest, and he got up, glancing at me briefly.

"Isn't it?" I demanded.

His gaze darkened. "Then how come you can still read me like I'm a book?" he demanded.

"Because I know you," I said furiously. "But just because I know you doesn't mean that I really know you."

He frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" he exclaimed.

"I know how to read you, but I don't know _you,"_ I said, frustrated.

I clenched my fists when he didn't answer. I tilted my head upwards to look him directly in the eye. "I didn't think you lied to me," I whispered. "You said you'd always be there for me. Don't you remember? Just before you left, you told me that all I needed to do was call your name, and you'd be there. In a heartbeat. You promised me."

"You're injured."

I rolled my eyes. "No kidding. What're you? Master of Obvious?"

His dark gaze flashed. "I'm serious. Your injury—you're never going to recover from it. You'll have to live with it. You wanted the truth, and now you have it." His gaze was never fiercer. "Are you happy _now?_ To find that you're injured beyond repair?"

My jaw dropped. My cockiness was all drained up. "I—what?"

His gaze was terribly sad. "I'm sorry."

"So I'm never going to _really_ recover," I said, feeling numb. I turned to him, knowing fully well that I could burst out crying then and there. "And you knew that." I swallowed. Hard. "Why did you make me do the laps?"

"I needed to see how well you could cope," he said. "You handled it well, but you were hurting. The whole time. Painkillers only go so far." His gaze was ever so sad. "I'm so sorry, Lyla. I can only help you so much, but in the end... you're never going to fully recover."

I swallowed hard. "So... basically, my entire future is down the drain."

"I didn't say that."

"It was implied," I said.

"You _think_ it was implied," he said.

Then, out of nowhere, his hands were on my cheeks, and he had leaned forward. He froze, and our lips were inches away from each other. My eyes widened as I gazed at him. His eyes were so wide that I could see the whites around his dark irises. Then, he broke the intimate space between us, getting as far away from me as possible. And me? Only one question rang inside my head.

 _Was he going to kiss me?_

* * *

 _I frowned as I saw the flames continue to grow and spread. I turned back to my opponent. Only his gaze told me that he was a trained professional. I had to be careful with him. The stakes were too high to slip up even just_ once. _I needed to make this one count. I propelled myself towards him, leaping out in the offensive maneuver that I had been trained to do my entire life. He flipped me over easily, due to his strength. I got up, no problem, but he grabbed me and threw me at the wall. God, he had_ strength.

 _No matter. I quickly got back up and accessed the situation. He definitely had the upper hand, but I was lithe and swift. I could still beat him. I ran towards him, and he brought me down hard on the ground. It hurt, but I had managed to trip him in the process. I quickly scrambled to my feet and threw myself onto him. I had him pressed against the wall. His face was still covered in a mask. I could see full lips and beautiful eyes. He was definitely a looker, this one._

 _That's when the fire decided to surprise us. I had to scrabble away not to get burned. Him? He wasn't so lucky. But I had to give him credit: he was_ good. _He was burned, but he got up swiftly, running after me, out of the burning building. I gasped. The door was blocked. Ugh, stupid fire. Stupid me, fighting him in a burning building. Stupid him, for setting the place on fire. Then, I saw him. He grabbed my arm and dragged me towards the opposite direction._

 _No matter how much I struggled, his inner strength remained. I couldn't break out of his vise-like grip. "Let. Me. Go!" I yelled, emphasizing each word with a punch or a kick. It didn't faze him. He grabbed me and pointed at the window. I frowned. The window was the only way out. Was he..? Was he_ helping _me? Emphasis on_ helping. _He was my opponent. We didn't help each other._

 _But still. I could still live. So I did what crazy suicidal people do._

 _I jumped out of the window._

 _I screamed and felt the wind billow through my hair. I landed hard on my knees. Hard enough to bruise, but that_ hardly _mattered at the moment. I saw people screaming, and I ran over to help them when I_ —

 _Bam!  
_

 _I slammed right into_ —

 _"You!" I exclaimed. It was that guy who had set the building on fire. Oh, he did_ not _want to mess with me._

 _"Listen," he began._

 _That's when I realized that the fire was locked around us, hungry and consuming. And then, I felt the worse pain in my life. That was the moment when I knew I was going to die. The fire would consume me. I could only hope that the people I had spotted earlier rushed to safety. I turned to meet the eyes of my opponent..._

* * *

You see, when you _really_ want to find something out, you try to force yourself to remember that stupid little piece, right? Well... me? I was trying to find out who was responsible for my injuries—besides me, of course. Sure, half of it was my fault, but still... whoever did it ruined my life. And let's just say that I wanted a little bit of revenge. I didn't want the guy to die, but... a lifetime in jail should do the trick. Of course, if I pushed hard enough, I could make that happen. But most of the time, you don't get what you want. I was so close, and yet...

Karma sucks.

Apparently, the world decided to make me suffer more by not giving me the stupid piece of information. The vision ended right before I turned to meet the eyes of my opponent. And I could feel it in my gut—if I met the eyes of my opponent, I would've remembered where I had seen those eyes. And guess what? I can't even remember the vision now! I just remember that I had one! _And_ I remember why I needed to see those eyes. Basically nothing else except that!

Isn't that outrageous?!

"Why are you mad?"

I spun around to see Zac. I groaned. "Is it that easy to tell?"

He cocked his head in an almost comical way. "No, not really." He took a seat by me. "I can just read you." He seemed relaxed, inasmuch as he could be. Well, it was the most relaxed I had ever seen him since he began my "guardian." His gaze told me that he either forced himself to forget about what happened earlier between us, or he wasn't acknowledging it. Just as well, though.

"I had a vision."

"A vision, you say?" His dark gaze was intense, and, to my pleasure, it was locked on mine.

"Yeah," I said, nodding furiously. "I had one yesterday. You know how I don't remember _anything_ from the accident?" He nodded. "Well, yesterday, I had part of the vision of that day. Today, I had more. But... right before I was about to find out who had attacked me and set the building I was in on fire... the vision ended." I turned to him. "I'm closer than ever!" I exclaimed. "The vision just keeps ending before I can figure it out, though. Maybe..." Excitement shot through me. "Maybe I can figure it out next time I have the vision!"

"That doesn't sound like a good idea," he said.

I frowned at that. "Why not?"

"This guy... he might be dangerous. I don't want you hunting him down, especially in your state," Zac said. I had never seen him so worried or anxious in his life. Did he really care about me that much? Maybe... maybe we could still work. Maybe he could be my best friend again.

"Do you really care about me that much?" I asked him, my voice dangerously quiet.

He stared at me for a few long heartbeats. "Of course I do."

My heart was hammering as our gazes met. I could practically _feel_ the electricity crackling between us. His hand sought out mine, and he squeezed my hand for a heartbeat. The pain I felt eradicated for a moment when he had touched me like that. I turned to him, watching him with some sort of wonder or awe. The door flew open, and we jumped apart.

"Lyla, David and I are doing a concert in the—woah."

I hastily turned to meet Sirena's gaze. "Hi..." I said, blushing a little.

Zac seemed as eager to change the subject as I was. "Lyla's doing fine," he said briskly. "She can go to that concert. Where is it, exactly?"

"At the common rooms," Sirena said, hiding a smile. I could still see the ghost of a smile on her face. She was amused. I shot her a look. Sirena's grin widened. "Well, I'll see you two at the concert. It starts in a few minutes." And with that, she left me alone. With Zac.

"Zac, we should... we should really talk about what happened earlier," I said, turning to him.

He froze. Then, he frowned. "Come on. Sirena will be wondering where you went off to."

He walked towards the door, and I grudgingly followed him. Well, maybe not _that_ grudgingly. I _did_ want to hear Sirena sing. I bet she would as angelic as she looked. Zac didn't meet my gaze as we walked, and whatever progress we made at friendship completely fell apart. We arrived, and I didn't regret coming. Sirena's voice was... mind blowing. Beautiful and sharp, the clear notes ringing out in the air. She was singing a love song. What was it called again? Oh yeah. _Kissin' You_ by _Miranda Cosgrove._ It was a nice song, and Sirena's voice complemented it.

"Cause when I'm kissin' you my senses come alive," Sirena sang, her voice clear and smooth. "Almost like the puzzle piece I've been trying to find. Falls right into place, you're all that it takes. My doubts fade away when I'm kissin' you." It was at that moment when I realized that that was how I felt when I kissed Zac. I had kissed him once, but... that was _exactly_ how I felt. I wondered if he felt the same way. Glancing at him, I sighed. Probably not.

Then, I realized with undeniable shock that he was gazing right back at me. I smiled a little at him, and bam! Surprised _again!_ He smiled back at me, the soft, almost shy, smile that I loved. The smile that I had longed to see ever since he got here. I didn't think I could get any more astonished then that.

I was wrong.

Zac laced his fingers with mine, and I was pretty sure I stopped breathing right then and there. My heart was pounding, and my gaze shifted to his. I was surprised to find warmth in his gaze. Wow, Zac was full of surprises today. We touched no other way, but somehow, that was enough for me. I totally regretted my earlier thoughts, when I had thought that the progress we had made at friendship had fallen apart. Not really, if he was holding my hand. And my hand in his felt so right. And a few words that Sirena had sang echoed in my head.

 _My doubts fade away when I'm kissin' you._

* * *

After Sirena's concert, I didn't feel like going back to my room so I led Zac to the garden. The sun was setting now, and in a matter of minutes, night would fall. The sky was a swirl of beauty. Streaks of vibrant reds and violets tangled with the vivid oranges, and gold streaking the sky complemented the ethereal piece of art. A warm breeze billowed through my hair, unseasonably warm, and I inhaled the wonderful scents of violets and currants. Sweet and tangy with a hint of sharpness.

"It's very beautiful out here," Zac murmured, smiling a little.

"Yes, it is," I agreed.

He took a seat by me, and we sat in silence. But it wasn't the kind of silence that makes you nervous. There wasn't any tension in this silence. It was tranquil, and I didn't really want to break the serenity with words. I bet Zac didn't, either. Occasionally, he would point a a plant and ask me what it was. Sometimes I knew, and other times, I was as clueless as him. I didn't remember the last time I felt this happy.

Darkness finally crept through the sky, eradicating the beauty of the sunset. But still, it was quite intriguing. Very beautiful. I felt bliss sweep through me as I watched thousands upon thousands of arrays of stars illuminate the dark night sky. Perhaps tomorrow it would be a full moon. Nevertheless, the moon complemented the stars even more so. I admired the beauty a moment longer before turning back to Zac.

"This brings back memories, doesn't it?" I murmured.

"Yes, yes it does," Zac agreed. "The memories... they were some of the best times of my life." He smiled again. "This... this right now is also in my top ten list of the best time of my life. Not because you're injured, or because we've grown a bit distant, but because we're spending time together. It makes me happy— _you_ make me happy, Lyla."

"You know... I haven't thought about the pain in a while," I said, smiling.

"Then I'm guessing that I provide a good distraction." A small smile lit up Zac's already godly features. The moon made him look paler, and silver seemed to glitter in his eyes. It didn't make him look any less handsome. If anything, it enhanced his wonderfully godly looks. He would make a nice vampire. Like Edward Cullen from _Twilight._ It had been a while since I had read that book.

"Yes, you do," I conceded. I shivered and realized how cold it was getting. "We should be getting inside before we catch a cold."

"Yes," Zac consented. He grinned slyly. "And a cold wouldn't help you at all."

I smiled, and we headed out of the garden and back into the warmth of the building. I was reluctant to leave the beauty, and I was also reluctant to leave the cold because it made a numb feeling spread through me. That numb feeling numbed my pain, but I supposed that since Zac was here to distract me, pain wouldn't be much of a problem.

Hopefully.

We headed back to my room, and Zac taught me some stretches. He told me to tell him when the pain started getting unbearable, and I did. Then, he would place some dressing onto my wounds and wrap bandages around my arms and legs. The ointment dressing seemed to help my wounds. They looked less red and purple. At least the bruises were fading. A little. The burns were still going on strong.

"So, where have you been all this time?" I asked him after he finished wrapping the bandages around me. God, I felt like a mummy with all of those bandages.

Zac frowned a little. "I was put into some serious training."

"To become a guardian?" I asked him.

"Well, it's sort of more complicated," Zac said, shrugging a little. "What about you?"

"Well, I finish another year of school with top marks," I said, grinning. "I skipped a year, you know? And... when I get back to school after this summer is over... I'll just have to endure another year before graduating and going to a college." I shrugged. "And I took a fighting class to strengthen myself. There all sorts of bad things out there. You know how it is."

"Yeah, I do." Something in Zac's eyes told me that his words had a deeper meaning.

"Then... I end up here. At MIR. I suppose it's not the worst place to be." I shrugged, and my fingers trailed along the bandages. My touches were butterfly-light, but I still felt pain crackle through me. I grimaced. "I hope I heal before I go to school. It would be a shame if I didn't."

"Yes, yes it would."

"Lyla, there are things that you should know, but..." Zac paused, swallowing hard. "Do you know why you can't remember what happened in the accident? Do you think that someone might've purposely removed those memories from you. But only so it would take some time before you finally remembered them?"

I frowned at that. "Who could be that cruel?" Then, I answered my own question: "The guy who attacked me."

Zac shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah... there's that."

"Zac, what're you trying to tell me?"

"I'm sorry for... for doing those things to you." He looked frustrated and fearful. I noted that even with perspiration, he still looked as handsome as ever. Maybe even more so. Whatever he was doing, those godly good looks still remained. But his eyes scared me. His dark eyes were filled with anguish and some other things. What could possibly be wrong?

I glanced at the floor. Then, my gaze slid over to his. My azure irises locked onto his dark brown ones. I froze, yet my hear was trembling violently inside my chest, threatening to force its way out of my chest. He was truly scaring me now. His words sank in. _I'm sorry for... for doing those things to you._ "W-what do you mean?" He couldn't possibly be talking about... what I thought he was, right? "Are you talking about the stoic attitude or the training?" Somehow, I doubted it was either.

His gaze slid over to mine, filled with regret and pain. "I was the one who injured you."

* * *

A/N: BOOM! Yes, you just found out that it was Zac who injured Lyla. Shocking, right? But my summary probably hinted at it. You probably guessed it. Anyway, how will Lyla react? Does Zac's attitude around her make sense now? Anyway, I was listening to the song 'Kissin' You' by Miranda Cosgrove when I wrote this, so... yeah. All credits from that particular song go to Miranda. ;) Stay tuned for the final shocking conclusion of _Always in my Heart!_ Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism _and_ praise) though not necessary. But who doesn't like a good review? ;)


	3. Love, Magic, Tragedy, and Everything EIB

**Chapter 3-Love, Magic, Tragedy, and Everything Else in Between  
**

* * *

 **"One crack does not mean that you are broken, it means you were put to the test, and you didn't fall apart." ~Linda Poindexter**

* * *

 **"Just promise me, you'll always be a friend 'cause you are the only one." ~Excerpt from _One_ by Ed Sheeran**

* * *

You know that feeling you get sometimes when you stand up too quickly—the feeling you feel when you're in a half daze, and you wait for your vision to clear? Yeah, that's exactly how I felt—except that it was amplified by, I don't know, say, about a _million_ times. First, bewilderment hit me in the face, figuratively, of course. I still hadn't processed his words. I just sat very still and stupidly said, "W-what?" Okay, maybe those weren't my exact words, but I was kind of busy.

Feeling my world being utterly crushed.

"This is the reason I haven't been opening up to you," Zac said, face twisted in pain, anguish, longing, and regret. Those emotions were ones I saw on his face a lot now. But, they _still_ didn't make him look any less handsome. I know, right? It felt creepy to me, too, admiring his looks at a time like this. Something twisted inside of me as Zac spoke his next words. "I don't deserve you."

He was more or less saying that... that he still had feelings for me.

So, being the reckless, crazy person I was, I leaned over closer to Zac and punched him. I could see a bruise forming on his face, and I barely felt the pain in my knuckles. I glared at him, but still... I was mostly crushed, not angry. And punching him... well, that was my way of letting out all of the emotions swirling and churning within me. I locked eyes with him, as I had done a million times before. He knew I was legitimately crushed. I knew he was devastated. Utterly destroyed.

"Why?" I cried. "Why did you do this to me?!"

"I'm so sorry." His voice was scarcely more than a whisper.

"Why?" I was scarcely aware that my voice was shaky. The words came out sounding garbled.

"I was in a dark place," Zac said, and I had a feeling I was going to hear his life story. "I..." His voice cracked. "My mother was caring for my grandmother, but... my mother wasn't what she used to be, and my grandmother was getting old of age. She was getting paranoid and would often mistake my mother for some sort of criminal. She thought we all were. Except... except for me."

My jaw dropped. I had a feeling I knew where this was going.

"And... I went to visit my grandmother one evening, and... my mother and my grandmother were dead on the floor." Without even realizing it, I had wrapped my fingers around Zac's wrist, like I had done countless times before to comfort him. I could see his gaze, bleak, empty, crushed, sorrowful. "My dad... he performed suicide a few days later. They found his body."

"Oh, Zac," I breathed.

"I was in a low, dark place," Zac whispered, voice hoarse and low. "I was in the team that brought you here to MIR, and... I took the opportunity to make you inhale in some special sort of air. It made you forget what happened in 24 hours. It didn't fully eradicate your memory because you're regaining your memories. But... there was more than just me grieving."

"What happened?" I prompted quietly.

"You're signed with the _Haraschor._ I was offered a deal with the _Cherynyy."_

"Care to elaborate?" I inquired sarcastically. He frowned a little, and I sighed. "I know that _Haraschor_ means 'good,' and _Cherynyy_ means 'black.' I took Russian, you know? We all did. It was required." I glared at his troubled expression. "Zac, you were offered a deal with the _Cherynyy._ That's... wow. What'd you do?"

Zac took a deep breath. "I took their deal."

"And your mission was to destroy any stray guardians from the _Haraschor?"_ I said testily.

"Actually, yes," Zac said.

I froze.

 _Bam!_ Injured again!

"I didn't—I meant to be a spy," he said. "But... things started to get out of hand. I started to get really mad all the time, and... I finally realized that they were drugging me with some sort of substance. It's why I'm so adept at fighting. It's why I get so angry." He took a deep breath. "That combined with my grief... it's not a good mix."

"I wouldn't think so," I remarked.

This was the moment when I realized that I was still mad at him. _He,_ out of all people, injured _me,_ his best friend for as long as forever. I would _never_ hurt him, not like that, and it hurt me even more than the bruises and the burns that he would do this to me. I didn't pay attention to his story. I could piece up the pieces together anyway, so it wouldn't matter.

But the whole time, I was shaking harder and harder. I was raging on the inside, but I wore a blank, stoic mask on the outside. I clenched my fists and forced myself to breath. But now, I think that I could've subsisted on anger alone to survive. He didn't seem to notice, mostly because his bleak gaze was trained on the ground.

And, for some reason, that enhanced my anger.

Then, I realized that I had been quite angry for a long time. My anger had built up, and I had let it. And now, I was going to explode. I was angry that my life, my seemingly perfect life that had been headed in success, was now blown apart. I was angry that Zac, the person I trusted the most, had killed any chance of me ever getting better. I was outraged that he had _kept_ it from me. We never kept secrets!

He ruined my life.

 _My best friend ruined my life._ Those words sank in slowly, and I trembled violently in rage. I stared at him, and I didn't see my best friend. I saw a horrible minion of hell who needed to be destroyed. I wanted to destroy his future as he had done mine. And I wouldn't care that that would make me as bad as he was. I didn't care enough to do anything better.

If I was going down in flames, so was he.

"Lyla."

The plaintive way he spoke my name increased the already overpowering intensity of my rage. My ocean-colored gaze slid over to his, and he looked taken aback, as if he was astonished to see the hatred in my gaze. His gaze was bleak once more, and I shoved him hard in the chest. He flinched, but he didn't fight back. _Coward,_ I raged. "Fight back," I yelled at him, slamming him against the wall. My rage blinded me from my wounds, my injuries, the ones _he_ had inflicted upon me.

"No," he said firmly. "I deserve this."

"You deserve to die," I spat out.

"You're right."

Each word forced out of him was maddening, and it made me even more angry. He _knew_ that I wanted him to fight back, so I could _really_ fight him. But he wasn't. And that made me angry. I just needed to send him over the edge in his own anger. Then, I could _really_ fight him. "You're as bad as your parents!" I yelled at him, and I saw something dark kindle in his dark gaze, making him look more like a monster. Something dangerous. A monster with extremely godly looks. I felt a dark, cold satisfaction in my heart when I saw his gaze darken. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if they performed suicide because of you."

That sent him over the edge.

He leapt out of my, but, as my outrage and hatred blinded me of my injuries, I could fight as well as I used to. He tried to punch me, but I deftly twisted away out of his range. I leapt out at him—it was a feint—and he barely corrected himself before my fists slammed onto his face. I had aimed for the pressure points on his neck, but still, the blow on his face would stun. Which was just as good.

"You want a fight?" he inquired darkly. "I'll give you a fight," he snarled. "And it will _not_ be pretty."

He twisted to the side and lunged at me. He propelled himself with a startling sort of strength. Rage fueled him, as it did me. He slammed me in the wall, but I barely felt the pain. I got up easily. I was a little winded, but that wasn't going to get me down. I deftly curled my hand into a fist and punched him. He flinched at the blow, but it barely budged him. He did this cartwheel twisty thing in the air. It was a fancy maneuver, but it was also a mistake. When he did that, I knew exactly how he had positioned and knew where he would land. I tripped him, and he fell on the ground with an audible _thwack!_ I felt satisfied and leapt at him.

I was directly on top of him, and I touched his neck, my fingers hovering directly above the pressure points. He froze at that. He knew that if he tried anything, I would render him unconscious. He took a deep breath, and I watched his eyes. Resignation shone through his gaze, but I didn't loosen my hold. I knew how tricky he was. I had seen him in action. There weren't many people who could beat me, or him for that matter, but this time, my rage was stronger.

"Lyla, let him go."

I turned away from Zac for a heartbeat to see Sirena. I turned back to Zac. I wanted to let him go. Some part of me knew that what I was doing was wrong. But the other part of me—the raging part—just _couldn't._ I looked into Zac's eyes. His gaze was pleading. "This isn't you," he whispered. "I know you, and this isn't you."

"You're wrong," I snarled. "This _is_ me."

"No," he argued, "it isn't. Stop."

"I-I can't," I breathed, faltering a little.

"I know I'm not in any place to ask for favors, but can you do it for me?" He looked me in the eye, as he had done a million times before. "Please."

The plaintive word finally broke me, and I sagged in defeat. I got off him. Between my will, the fact that I knew that it was wrong, and his words, well, that made me get off of him. I could restrain him if I wanted to, but the fire of fight wasn't pulsing in me anymore. The adrenaline leaked out of my system, and it left me with a lot of pain. Then, I realized something.

I maneuvered exactly how I wanted when I didn't feel the pain.

Was there, even remotely, a possible way that I could just _possibly_ recover? But it didn't seem possible. And I'm pretty sure that I had ruined whatever slim chance at healing myself. After moving that fast... I didn't move now. I hurt even without moving. The pain was searing—unbearable. I was sitting on the ground, and I felt Zac wrap his arms around me, but I was scarcely aware of anything else besides the pain.

Exhausted, I passed out.

* * *

I opened my eyes and gasped as fiery pain nearly choked me to death. My whole body felt like it was on fire. Tears stung my eyes, and I swallowed them back. Pain blinded me. I _really_ shouldn't have fought Zac. The pain grew unbearable, and I choked back my tears. Then, I lifted my head—a painful task—when I heard the door open. I saw Zac, his face a picture of worry.

"How are you?" he asked me, hurrying to my side.

"In agony," I said stiffly. "Why does it hurt so much?"

He swallowed hard. "I'm so sorry. For everything. This is all my fault. I didn't have a right to get mad. After everything I did to you. Don't deserve you. Don't deserve to live. Don't deserve anything." I could see that he was struggling, and I could see the red marks on his face where my punches had hit him the hardest.

I reached out and touched his face. "Does it hurt?"

He looked shocked at my compassion and looked away. "And then some."

I sighed, exasperated, at his unwillingness to elaborate. Surely he owed me that. Unless... he didn't think he deserved my sympathy. Of course, magic works in mysterious ways. I didn't know why I cared about Zac so much, but surely, _surely,_ I had a good reason. I not only knew him that well, but I also knew exactly how he thought. In some ways, we were...

 _No,_ I chastised myself sternly. _You're_ not _going back there. Zac is the past. Move on._ I bit my lip, trying to hide my uncertainty. I tried to meet his eyes, but he blatantly ignored my stare. Frustrated, I gave up and turned to look at the door. Maybe it was magic or a certain knowingness, but, whichever, the door opened.

Pale blue eyes that were so wide that I could see the whites around her irises, pale, platinum blonde hair cascading down her back, perpetual bright smile. I wish my life was that simple. When I saw Sirena, I was reminded once again of what I couldn't have: a nice, sweet boyfriend, no complications, a perfect job, happiness. I sighed but smiled for her sake. Ow. My facial muscles hurt. "Hey."

"Are you okay?" she asked me, face compassionate.

"I hurt more than I started out with," I confessed.

Zac flinched at that, as if I had delivered a solid blow to him.

"I'll get you some painkillers," Sirena offered, a rueful smile on her face as she began striding towards the door.

"Can you get me some, so I _don't_ fall asleep?" I inquired. "I mean, I just slept for I don't know how long already," I pointed out.

She smiled. "They'll taste _really_ horrible."

I smiled wryly. "I'm feeling the worst pain in my life"—Zac flinched at that—"and I think that if I were in any more pain, I'd go straight into a coma. Do you think a little flavor will bother me?" She shot me a look that said something like, _I warned you._ I nodded and smiled. "Thanks."

"Of course." She was gone.

And I was alone. With Zac. Again.

"Are you okay?" he asked me.

I shot him a weird look. "You asked me that already."

"No, I didn't. I asked you if you hurt," he corrected, seeming almost like his old self. "There's a difference. A very blatant difference."

I smiled tentatively and was frustrated when the light in his eyes died out. "Why won't you show some emotion?" I demanded. His beautiful gaze slid over to me, but he didn't say anything. "Anything! Anything at all!" I yelled. His gaze danced with gold as light streamed out from the window, but this time, I could finally ignore—kind of—his godly gaze and focus on his expression, which was devoid of emotion. My self control was deteriorating rapidly.

So, help me, he shrugged.

Like I could get anymore infuriated with the guy.

Like I said, I didn't have much self control.

So I did something I probably shouldn't have.

I kissed him.

* * *

You know that moment where you feel like the stars and moon aligned, and you were just as light as air? When you could feel heavy emotions—like love—surge within you, and everything just feels _right_ —even when it's not? Yeah, well, that's exactly how I felt right now. I had leaned forward and pressed my lips against his. His lips were ice-cold, but suddenly, they felt warm against mine, and warmth spread from my mouth to his. It was an insanely long kiss, but I loved every moment of it. I had forgotten what a good kisser he was. I hadn't been kissed in a long, long time. His fingers got tangled in my hair, and my pain mingled with love and lust and desire, which just enhanced my senses to him.

We pulled back, but it was to look at each other. He seemed to be as breathless as I was. I flushed under his gaze, and I saw him flush, too. Great, that meant that he definitely saw me blushing. Then, he kissed again. This time, it was one of those deep, hard kisses. I sank into it, and he was just a good kisser as I had recalled. His lips locked against mine, and it felt so _right._

But karma's a bitch.

"Hey, Lyla, I got the painkill—oh! _Oh!"_

We pulled away hastily—I could feel like he didn't want to because I didn't want to, either—and I was pretty sure I was glaring daggers at Sirena. I forced myself into a neutral expression. I took a deep breath as I looked into Sirena's eyes. She looked bewildered. Shocked. I didn't blame her. Kissing the guy who I had attacked not so long ago? Yeah... yikes. "Hey..."

Sirena placed a glass of murky looking liquid—yuck—and she nodded. "I'll... I'll leave you two alone."

"Thanks," I found myself murmuring as I took the glass of disgusting... whatever that was. I tipped the glass, and the contents spilled into my mouth. I nearly spat it the vile stuff out. I coughed but forced the contents down my throat. I grimaced and put the glass down. "What do they _put_ in that stuff? Organs? Frog liver?"

Zac chuckled, and I felt better at once. "How about mouse bile?" he teased.

"Oh, yuck!" I exclaimed, shoving him in the chest. His grabbed my wrist and held it against his chest. There was an immensely sensual kind of feel in his gaze, and I blushed a little. "So..." I murmured. "Are you going to quit the weird, stoic guardian attitude and actually be my friend?"

He was speechless. I felt smug. _Lyla, one. Zac, zero._ He breathed in kind of sharply. "I... I don't deserve."

I shoved him. Hard. "Haven't you been listening?"

"It doesn't change the guilt," he snapped.

I got up. I was done talking to the idiot.

"Wait," he said.

"I'm done talking to you," I snapped. "You're not my best friend. Where's the guy I knew?" I stared at him beseechingly before getting up. I didn't need to see his raw expression. Didn't need to feel my heart breaking into a million pieces again. I thought he had felt it, too. In that kiss. He actually kissed me back. And kissed me again after that.

I took a deep breath and headed to the garden. That would take my mind off of Zac.

For a while, anyway.

* * *

 **Zac's POV  
**

I watched her go, and finally, I let down my mask of emotions. She knew me too well, but... I didn't deserve her. I needed her, but I couldn't... She was the only one who understood. She _always_ understood, but I... I pushed her away. Always. I wanted to protect her, but I couldn't. I hurt her. I hurt the person I cared about the most, and I'm not sure that I can ever get her back. "I hurt the person I cared about the most, and I'm not sure that I can ever get her back," I said, voicing my thoughts aloud.

"Guardian Blakely?"

I turned to see Sirena. "Hey."

She scanned the room. "Where's Lyla?"

"Somewhere," I answered bluntly.

"You're her guardian," she said, crossing her arms. This was one of the rare times that I've ever seen her upset. I must've really messed up. And I didn't even injure her. Since when did my life turn so upside down? "You should be with her right now." She looked into my eyes. "Zac, what's wrong?"

I sat down. "I don't know. My life?"

"What about Lyla?"

"She doesn't want me around," I said. "Not me like this." I gazed at Sirena, pained. "I hurt her. And I don't mean the fight, but there's that, too. And... she's an amazing person. She said that she wanted her best friend back."

"You're her best friend."

"Well... what I used to be." I sighed and stared at the ground, gaze clouded. "I let her down. It's the worst feeling in the world. And I did it because I wanted someone to know how I felt. How I tortured myself everyday." My gaze slid over to her. "And I did it to my best friend."

Sirena sighed. "Then fix things."

"I can't," I said bluntly. "I don't deserve her."

"Is that what she thinks?"

"It's what _I_ think," I said.

"She's frustrated with how you are," Sirena said. "You should try to make it up to her by being her best friend. It doesn't make things perfect but"—Sirena shrugged—"it's a start. And..." Sirena smiled, blushing. "I've seen the way you two look at each other." She looked down, embarrassed. "And I'm sorry for interrupting you guys."

I reddened and ran a hand through my dark hair. "Yeah..."

There was more uncomfortable silence before she said, "Go to her."

I paused. Then, I nodded. "Okay."

* * *

 **Lyla's POV  
**

I inhaled the fresh scents, but I sought one out in particular: currant. It was a deliciously tangy flavor with a hint of sharpness: the perfect scent. Well, in _my_ opinion. The wind billowed through my hair, and I closed my ocean-colored eyes. The wind felt deliciously cool against my flesh, and I didn't feel much pain. The painkillers must be working. My fingers trailed against some flowers. Hydrangea, I think they were called. Some hyacinths mingled with them. Blue and white. A wonderful combination.

"Lyla."

My heart fluttered, but my happiness was short-lived. Maybe... just maybe the beauty of the scenery would force him into a relaxed attitude. I turned towards Zac. I knew it was him even without looking. His gaze met mine fleetingly, and I was thrilled to see some sort of emotion: uncertainty mingled with awe and nervousness. "Zac, what're you doing here?"

"You forget: I'm your guardian," he said with a small smile.

I hid a smile. "It's very beautiful out here."

"Yes," Zac agreed. "It is."

I glanced at him, surprised. He laughed at that. And lord help me, his laugh sounded like bells mingling with harps. Just... heavenly angel music. I guess... since he's blessed with godly looks, his laugh should be godly, too. The guy was blessed with a godly life. Except for, well, the fact that his parents were dead. I guess it was so that God—not that I believe in God—could balance out his awesomeness. So I said the first thing that came to mind: "I didn't know that your laugh sounded like angel music. Stupid godly everything."

"What?" He looked genuinely surprised and even a little amused.

"Nothing," I muttered, blushing. I couldn't exactly _help_ what my face did.

He smiled. Stupid godly smile. "I can't exactly help it if I was blessed with looks of God. Though I think I'm a lot better looking than Him."

I laughed at that. "Yeah, right." But I agreed with the stupid godly guy. Why, out of _all_ the people in the world, did my best friend have to be blessed with godly looks? Of course, not that I minded except, well, I minded. But, judging by the way he said 'Him,' I'm guessing that he's a religious nut. Not that I would ever call him that. Except, you know, I _always_ call him that.

"Are you going to say that I'm a religious nut?" he asked me, smiling that stupid godly smile again.

"Took the words right out of my mouth," I said, smiling a little.

He smirked. I didn't think one person could have that many smirks. Honestly, did he look in the mirror _just_ to achieve the award called 'I Have The Most Smirks'? God, the guy was unbelievable... _Unbelievably handsome. Shut up, self-conscience,_ I snapped. Then, I noticed that Zac was watching me with a amused expression. "What?" I asked sharply.

"You look like you're having a conversation with yourself in your head," he answered, smirking.

Did he just read my mind? God, blessed yet _again!_

"You really _are_ a god," I murmured to myself.

"What?" He looked interested in what I had just said.

"Nothing," I said, smiling. Then, my smile faded away. "You're not supposed to be like this," I said, shaking my head absentmindedly. "You're supposed to be impossible and stoic and guardian-like. And..." I paused to meet his gaze. To my pleasure, he was gazing right back at me.

"And..?"

"A creepy stranger that is in Zac Blakely's body," I answered. "What made you change your mind?"

"Sirena, actually," he said, and his honesty blew me away, leaving me breathless and wanting more. "She said that the best way to repay you—to try and amend the wrongs I've made. And you... you being happy, that makes me happy." He seemed almost shy now. "Sirena told me I should make you happy. And I _want_ to make you happy. I know that you say that you forgive, but I couldn't. Couldn't forgive myself. Couldn't let you forgive me."

I shoved him and glanced darkly at him. "That was stupid of you."

"You're just saying that because you're not seeing your future," he said. "You think things will turn out okay, but you have to face facts, Lyla: you're injured, and you're more or less never going to heal." He sighed. "It's my fault, but if I do nothing, it'll make things worse. And that's why I have to make your life as easy as possible."

"Woah, there, no one said anything about me wanting my life to be easy," I said.

"You're right," he said, flashing me what he probably thought was a winning smile. Of course, it _was_ a winning smile, but there was no way I was telling him that. He squeezed my hand, and I was pretty sure all of the bewilderment and shock was showing on my face. He laughed at that. "Are you still surprised?"

I shot him a sharp look, and he pretended to cower in fear. He sank to his knees, and I took a seat by him. I curled up by him, and he stiffened before relaxing. I closed my eyes, breathing into the intoxicating scents of a million flowers. Currant was always detectable, as it was my favorite berry. It looked sort of like a cherry. I opened my ocean-colored eyes to look up at Zac. "Hi."

"The light of the moon makes your eyes look almost silver. Very beautiful," Zac said, echoing something he had said to me a while ago. His dark gaze glowed with affection, and he chuckled a little. "I don't know what I was thinking."

I hit him on the head lightly. "That's because you don't think."

He stuck out his tongue playfully. "Neither do you."

"You're right," I said, and I planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Will you be my date tonight? And let us enjoy the stars colliding with the full moon?" He smiled softly, one of the soft, genuine, rare smiles.

I thought I misheard him. "Are you asking me out?"

He pretended to think about it. "Yes."

"You're lucky," I murmured, "that you don't need my father's approval. He already approves of you."

He shifted slightly so that he could face me. The moonlight bathed our faces, and his scent mingled deliciously with the aromas of the nature around us. My heart was racing, and I lifted my face upward so I could see the full moon directly above our faces. I could see swirls of silver playing in his beautiful gaze. He kissed me, and everything was right in the world.

Inasmuch as it could be.

And I knew that Zac Blakely would _always_ be in my heart.

And, well, the guy had godly looks.

Finally, I broke the comfortable silence. "Do you forgive yourself?"

He shot me a bewildered look. "What?"

I smiled. "I said: do you forgive yourself?" I over emphasized the words.

He paused and sat there, very still. He was so still, in fact, that I thought he was dead or had fallen into a coma. His dark gaze slid over to mine, and I had to appreciate the moonlight lighting up his already godly features. He probably had a godly soul. Stupid godly blessed spirit. "Why?"

I stared at him, incredulous. "You took that _whole_ spam of time to think up the word 'why'?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Pretty much." Then, his gaze turned serious. "I don't know if I can."

I punched him lightly. "Forgive yourself," I said softly, turning serious, too. "And move on. The past is in the past, and there's no changing it." I smiled fleetingly. "Besides, I don't like it when it hold a grudge against yourself." He didn't say anything, and I slipped my hand into his. His hand was ice-cold, but I didn't recoil. "Come on."

"Fine."

"You didn't say it."

"Yes, I did."

I glared at him now. Was he _always_ this impossible? "Forgive yourself," I said. "That's all that's holding you—us—back."

He took a deep breath, and I could practically _see_ the gears turning in his pretty head. "I forgive myself," he whispered.

I could see the change in his features. They were tranquil now, no longer marred with that haunted look in his eyes. _No, that's not quite right,_ I thought. There was a slightly haunted look in his eyes, yet he looked free. No longer trapped of the burden, but not quite certain. But he would get there. And I would help him. And who knows? Maybe, one day, I would heal.

After all, magic brought him to his senses.

Maybe my life was supposed to be full of 'maybes.'

I curled up by his side. I was probably going to be stuck with an injured body, but I could learn to cope. I could still continue my life. My injury wouldn't stop me. And, with Zac's help and much coaching, I was pretty sure I could still learn to fight. In a different way, of course. And he would be there for me. And I him. For eternity. Or the after-life. Or whatever was out there.

But I still had a whole lifetime to live.

And Zac would be with me every step of the way...

* * *

A/N: Well, I hope you enjoyed that final chapter (that took me _forever_ to get out) of _Always in my Heart._ To be honest, I think I could've done the ending better. Oh well. Maybe I should change the title to 'Every Step of the Way.' But then, I would have to create a new cover. By the way, the title _Always in my Heart_ is based off of the font 'Always in my Heart.' ;)

This was a complicated fic to write because it was All-human, and I used 'first person' to write it. I _wanted_ to do other POVs, so I added Zac's for a little bit. Also, I thought that everyone should know how low he was. Please don't let this story change your view of him (at least, in the bad way), and he's _not_ the bad guy. Besides, how many of you believe in the magic of healing? Not just regular healing for cuts and scars, but magically, mental, and emotional.

I honestly thought that I did the ending for 'The First Time' better, but I can't exactly repeat the ending. That's stupid and unoriginal. So... I ended it like that. Maybe... maybe one day, I'll change the ending to something better. But for know, it's that. And I know that there are a lot of Zevie shippers out there. Well... I'm not trying to change your verdict. I'm trying to write a story. Hopefully, you learned a lesson in it. (And why is my A/N so long?)

Anyway, reviews are appreciated (criticism _and_ praise) though not necessary. But what writer doesn't like reviews? ;)


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